This is where Ruri feels the angriest.
"If you feel unhappy, after the agreement with Akatsuki ends, you can personally eliminate the Uchiha Clan's traitor for the same result."
"There's no need for me to do it myself; eventually, Akatsuki will take the initiative to remove that traitor."
Ruri sneered coldly.
If the Uchiha Clan massacre was backed by Akatsuki's actions, then Uchiha Itachi was simply sold to Akatsuki by Root.
Once his value is fully exploited, neither Root, Akatsuki, nor Konoha will have a place for Uchiha Itachi to stay.
And the Uchiha Clan in the Land of Demons also hates Uchiha Itachi to the core and would never accept a traitor who betrayed the family.
He could be said to be a complete outcast.
"Suit yourself."
Hakushi didn't have much interest in Uchiha Itachi; within Akatsuki, there's only one and a half worth noting.
One is Nagato, and the other half is the completely pitch-black guy known as Black Zetsu.
That guy seems different from White Zetsu, inheriting Madara's will. Even if Madara's body is hidden in the Land of Demons, it doesn't guarantee that he won't devise some scheme to retrieve it.
Therefore, how to deal with Madara's body has become a headache for Hakushi.
Rationally speaking, destroying Madara's body is the best way, but this is Uchiha Madara's body; Hakushi is reluctant to let go of such a treasure.
Even if he can't get what's in Madara's mind, just the body alone holds significant research value.
"By the way, I need to take care of some things. I might be away for a few days before returning."
Hakushi took a sip of tea, casually placed the flintlock gun on the coffee table, and stood up from the sofa in the living room.
"What are you going to do?"
"I plan to recruit Tsunade-sensei. This time I intend to have an open and honest conversation with her."
"Recruit her?"
Ruri was somewhat surprised.
"Yes, Konoha has already become corrupt. If she endorses my ideals, we could strike further blows to Konoha, challenge Konoha's legitimacy, and also add another great general to the Land of Demons."
Hakushi said this with apparent confidence.
Although Ruri didn't know what Hakushi was thinking, Ruri still remained skeptical.
However, Tsunade has left Konoha for many years, so there's a chance she might be persuaded.
To be honest, purely in terms of strength, Tsunade is a bonus to the Land of Demons. Having mastered the Immortal Technique and Rin, who completed the Immortal Technique and Perfect Jinchuriki training, might not be weaker than Tsunade, maybe even stronger.
But if approached from the perspective of a Medical Ninja, Tsunade's position is indeed difficult to replace by others.
However, Ruri is not particularly optimistic about Hakushi's attempt to recruit Tsunade.
The Senju Clan is the purest faction in Konoha. Even though the Senju's glory has faded, the bonds left by the First Hokage still tug at that Sannin's heart, preventing her from betraying Konoha.
Ruri's look of doubt didn't make Hakushi back down.
"It's worth trying, isn't it? Even if she doesn't agree, at least it will put an end to my wishes... after all, in the upcoming battles, we can't afford to be as lenient as we were on the Land of Wind battlefield."
"Good to see you mentally prepared."
Ruri also felt that Hakushi was being too lenient with Tsunade.
Hakushi smirked; rather than saying anything to him, Ruri also let go of her former disciples from her time in Konoha in the previous battle. Emotionally, both of them seem equally at a loss.
However, no matter how emotional, it must be based on being able to grasp the situation.
The upcoming battles will involve not just the Five Great Nations, but Akatsuki will also be drawn in.
Thus, there's no way to continue showing mercy towards past teachers and students.
Ruri understands this too; next time, even if it's a disciple, if they stand on the opposite side, she will kill the other mercilessly.
If they cannot become allies now, the outcome... in any case, it could be a deeply regrettable result for Hakushi.
"Also, tell Asuka that the ninja tools he modified from the flintlock gun are impressive, but remind him not to become arrogant or complacent; there's still much for him to learn."
"If he could focus as wholeheartedly on ninja skills, that would be even better."
Looking at the flintlock gun on the coffee table, Ruri felt both comforted and regretful about her eldest son, who was not doing his proper work.
It's not that becoming a researcher is bad, but Ruri never thought that this would be what a ninja of the Uchiha Clan should do.
The battlefield and combat are the true purpose of the Uchiha Clan's existence.
"Each has their own aspirations, and besides, there's no rule that says after becoming a researcher, one can't become the Clan Leader of the Uchiha Clan. Who knows, that kid might exceed our expectations in the future. Anyway, I'll leave the family matters to you. Also, take a trip to the Hidden Star Village to visit Raidenmaru. The issues with the Land of Wind are resolved, so he can also be called back from Hidden Star Village."
Hakushi smiled, said goodbye to Ruri, and walked towards the entrance.